ตอน 21: Kyoto
Looking at the flowing scenery outside, I kept thinking about my parents. Since the first time in my life, I was really alone. Only when I had to separate from mom and dad, I realized how much support their presence gave me.
I knew that this was the only way to save them, but it's like my head knows the right thing and at the same time my heart can't accept it.
While I was lost in thoughts, the train finally arrived in Kyoto. The station was really big, it had everything inside, from a shopping mall to a hotel inside. I guess most tourists select this city when they come in Japan.
I still was not sure how to contact the other side.
Once outside the train station I tried feeling the position of the underground city of Kyoto. I expanded my perception at maximum power and to my surprise, I could cover the entire city. 'This must be the benefit of my golden soul awakening.' I thought.
More surprising was the amount of energy coursing through the leylines of this city.
I felt like my soul was in heaven. The energy was really beneficial toward cultivators.
Some time after I managed to feel several non human presences and a sort of blank space that kept my perception outside. I tried moving around the edges to find some yokai that could get me inside. It was about 2 or 3 hours after, that I managed to find someone. It was in a shrine named Yasaka shrine. I could feel it, whatever it was that was hiding there.
"Come out. I can feel your presence."
No answer. So I turned in the direction of the presence and said it again.
" I'm not really a master in senjutsu, but I can feel you there. Please, come out. I'm not trying to hurt you."
Something popped out of the bushes. It was a young girl with the appearance of an elementary school student. She had golden blonde hair tied in a ponytail and matching eyes. She was wearing a traditional miko outfit.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?" She said a little scared.
"Nice to meet you." I said. " I am a human self-taught senjutsu user. My name is Kurokawa Haru. I came to Kyoto hoping to learn from the yokai famous for their arts. You could say I am a disciple candidate."
"I am Kunou. Human? Senjutsu? Disciple candidate? Mom doesn't take disciples. Not a human one I think." She sounded curious and startled at the same time.
" Mom? Who is you mom?" I said, a little curious.
"Yasaka. The great yokai leader. " She said proudly. Bingo. I found a direct connection to the great leader.
"Would you let me meet her, please?" I said bowing my head.
"I don't know if mother can meet you. " She said a little hesitantly.
"Just try it, please. " I bowed again.
"Ok." She finally relented and went to talk with her mother.
While she was gone, I sat there a little and helped my golden soul speed up the natural energy absorption rate.
I could feel the soul growing. Since I came here it had already evolved. It seemed a little more older. Now the soul seemed a 3-4 years old little baby. I guess all this time it was recovering helped his growth. My constant growth of touki must have had some synergic effect on it too.
" Are you sure this is the right place to train young man?" When I opened my eyes, a woman was before. I was so concerned with my golden soul that I did not notice her and Kuno arriving.
She was a woman with delicate facial features and her eyebrows were cut very short and round a symbol of nobility. Her hair was tied in a loose ponytail, reaching all the way down to her legs that ends in a spiral. She was wearing a traditional shrine maiden attire. More important she had fox ears on the head and nine tails behind.
"Hello. Was I not supposed to do that? I'm sorry if it is so. Nice to meet you Yasaka-sama. My name is Kurokawa Haru, a humble senjutsu user seeking a master in the art. While traveling I heard that here was the place if I was to ask someone to teach me." I said.
" No. It's fine. I don't know who said that to you but I cannot accept you into our community right now. To be honest, I still don't know if you can be trusted. I'm sorry." She said. I knew it would not work, after all no one would invite some stranger of some other race in their home.
"I understood. Could I ask you something before I go, Yasaka-sama?"
"Sure." She said.
"Could you indicate me the way to the Himejima clan. I would like to encounter Suzaku Himejima if possible." I stopped and created a golden flame in my hand. " Maybe they could accept me since I have talent in flame manipulation."
" Ok. It seems so. It's a shame that I can't accept you in our community. I will arrange a meeting with Suzaku Himejima, what do you think?" She said.
"Thank you very much. I will surely repay the favor." I said bowing. After all, she has not looked down on me until now, but kept talking respectfully to me and was even helping me.
" It will take some days before I manage to arrange a meeting. Do you have a place to live, young man? "
"Unfortunately no. I will wait in the station for now."
"No. You can live into the shrine for now. Some part are enchanted with magic so no one will come near." She said.
"Is it really okay?"
"Of course."
"Then I will accept the ospitality. Thank you very much. " I said respectfully.
After that, we talked a little more and she went away. It was 2 days later that she came together with a seven tailed cat. I could feel that the cat had some mastery of senjutsu, by the movements of her aura.
"Good morning Yasaka-sama." I said and bowed. "I see that you brought a new friend today. Nice to meet you. I am Kurokawa Haru." I said.
" Nice to meet. I am Magari, leader of the nekomata yokai. Is he the one you wanted me to train? Are you sure he is human? I can feel so much life-force inside him. It seems like he could live at least a thousand year. Nevere heard of such a human. At the same time I can't feel his ki flowing outside. How is is it possible?" She said.
" I'm sorry Magari-sama, bit since I've had problems with supernatural attack since young I try to hide my aura as much as I can. I hope this did not offend you." I said apologetically.
"Don't worry young man. We wouldn't get angry for so little. And your meeting with Himejima Suzaku has been decided. She said she would come to meet at the train station. Now, I will leave you to talk with Magari."
"Magari-sama, I have trained my body and tried ki manipulation using a little magic knowledge, but I am still a beginner in senjutsu. The only thing I mastered is touki because of my body's degree of training. Could I perhaps train under your vigilance for this week?"
"No need to be so respectful young man. Just call me Magari."
"Yes. Magari-san." I said.
"OH, well. I guess that'll do. What do you want to learn young man? We do not have so much time , after all."
I already knew what I wanted to know. Since my ki returned, I had problems applying it to space manipulation.
"Is it possible to teach me senjutsu related to space?" I said.
"I'm not a master myself, but I 'll try teaching you what I can."
Like that the week was spent training with Magari and talking with Kunou and Yasaka some times.
" Thank you all for everything." I said to the three of them." I will never forget the kindness you have shown me."
"Don't worry, young man. Be safe out there." Yasaka said.
"Come back again sometime." Kunou said.
" It's a shame that you have to go. Just a little and you would have surpassed me in the arts." Using senjutsu was really like breathing for me. Just by looking at it, I could feel all the principle under. Like some young master with special physique for comprehension.
I went to the station. In the cafe I was supposed to meet her, I recognized her immediately. There was no need to use the indications Yasaka gave me. In the corner of the room there was a carbon copy of Akeno, maybe a little older, with red eyes.
I went there and started talking.
"Nice to meet you Himejima-sama. My name is Kurokawa Haru. I suppose Yasaka-sama already talked to you about me. " I said.
" Nice to meet you. I guess you already know my name." She said. It was really uncanny the resemblance. So much that I stopped some moment looking her, before moving.
" What is it? There is something on my face?" She said.
" It's not like that. It's just that you have a very similar face to my girlfriend, Akeno. " I said.
" Himejima Akeno?!" She said. Raising her voice a little.
" Yes, your cousin. She told me to find you, if I needed help." I said.
" Is it so? How is doing Akeno? She has a boyfriend? What help?" She asked.
" Akeno is doing fine. Rias Gremory treats her like a sister, and yes we got together before I came to Kyoto. I need to hide myself for some times. Do you have some place where I could hide myself? Preferably far from devil influence."
" May I ask what is the reason you want to hide from the devils?" She said.
" I guess if I am to ask your help, then I owe you an explanation. You see, some days ago, some devil came threatening me to rape my new friend and kill Akeno. I lost it and killed him, but the problem was that he was a young master of some pretty high level devil family. So, to be sure I need to avoid being in devil territory. Here's the proof I am Akeno's boyfriend." I said, as I showed the photo we made before I left.
" It really is Akeno." She said. " I will help you, but the Himejima family can't help you now. Our family is pretty closed off to outsiders. I have a cousin that may help you, though. Come. I will take you to him."
" Ok. Thank you very much, Himejima-sama." I said.
"There's no need for honorifics."
"Ok. Himejima- san." I said.
And here we are again in the train. Moreover we were going into a city near Kuoh. We kept walking, while talking. It was more me anwering questions about Akeno. Finally we arrived in the city. Near there was some sort of pub. I could her someone singing inside. We entered and inside, from the look of it, there were not much people.
On the podium, there was a blue eyed with long blonde hair beautiful lady singing. We went to the counter and there a handsome young man in barman uniform was making drinks.
"Hello Tobio." She said.
"Welcome Himejima-san. What happened? " He asked a little surprised. I guess he was not expecting her or she comes only when she has some reason to come.
"I came to introduce you to the future son-in-law of Barakiel." She said smiling.
Author's note: Thank you for reading.
I'll try not to exaggerate with cringy chapters.
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